capen



(No Model.)

T. W. OAPE'N. Crane.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented May 31,1881.

N. PETERS. nmwum x phon Washington D. I;

(No Model.)

WITNESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. W. OAPEN.

Crane.

Patented May 31, 1881.

INVENTOR N. PETERS. FllobLilhographcr. Wishingivn. D, C

ilNiTED STATES PATENT OrrieE.

THOMAS \V. OAPEN, OF STAMFORD, CONN EOTIOUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE LOOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,271, dated May 31, 1881.

' Application filed June 21, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WELLS (JAPEN, of Stamford, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved c011- struction of jib and traveling cranes, whereby the mechanism is simplified and cheapened,

and liability to accidents diminished, and several different speeds of traveling and of hoisting and lowering are accomplished by a single mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side I 5 elevation of a jib-crane constructedin accordancewith myinvention. Fig. 2is an enlarged horizontal cross-section through the mechanism and mast of the crane on the line .zz of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section through the chainwheel R, showing a chain guide and stripper.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a clutch for holding a loose pinion in its proper longitudinal position on its shaft. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-section through the erabmech- 2 5 amsm.

A, B, and O are respectively the mast, jib, and brace of an ordinary jib-crane, and may be composed either of wood or iron, as preferred.

D is the ordinary running-bloclr, provided with a hook for attaching the load.

E is a trolley or truck, provided with chainsheaves and traveling on tracks on top of the jib B in the usual way.

5 F is a wheel or sheave, supported on brackets at the end of thejib and around which the chain X returns.

G and Hare similar chain-wheels or sheaves for guiding the two parts of the chain down- 0 ward to the operating mechanism.

Near the base of the mast and attached to its two opposite faces are two iron casings or boxes containing the operating mechanism. Passing through each of these boxes horizon- 4 tally are shafts N and 0, provided at each end with squares or sockets for receiving the usual crank or handle. On one end of each of these two shafts are the pinions J and K, which are keyed to the shaft so as to rotate with it, but

are capable of being slipped endwise for engagement and disengagement with the spurwheel L, which is keyed fast to the idler-shaft M, and disconnected from the hoisting mechanism, except when in engagement with one or both of the pinions J and K.

P is a worm-wheel turning on the spindle WV, and having bolted rigidly to it the chainsheave It. Beneath the worm-Wheel P is a worm or screw carried on and driven by the shaft or spindle N, in the same manner as the worm or screw Q, is carried by the shaft O.

It follows, therefore, that rotation of the shaft N causes the rotation of the worm-wheel P, which, in turn, carries with it the chain-wheel R. The mechanism in each of the two boxes or housings at the foot of the mastis precisely alike,'one being aduplicate of the other. The two parts of the chain X and Y enter the two boxes or housings through the top, and pass into engagement, respectively, with the two chain-wheels It It, which, as shown in the cross-section, Fig. 3, are provided with pockets or identations in which the links of the chain fit, so that by the rotation of the chain-wheels the chain is taken in or paid out.

S is a chain-guide, rigidly fastened within the housing and fitting around the lower semicircumfercnce of the chain-wheel R, to prevent the disengagement of the chainfrom the pockets of the wheel.

V is a stripper, likewise secured to the housing, the two points of which fitinto the grooved chain-wheel, so as to insure the stripping or disengagement of the chain from the wheel at the proper points. Each part of the chain, as 8 5 it descends and passes around the chain-wheel I returns up to the small guide-sheave or wheel T, over which latter-it passes downward again into the box or cavity between the two sides of the mast of the crane. A single endless chain is used, the two parts of which, (lettered differently for convenience of reference,)

as they emerge from the top of the housings,

pass upward to and over the guide-sheaves G and H. The part lettered X on the drawings passes from the sheave G to and around the sheave F at the end of the jib, thence to a sheave on the trolley, over which it turns and passes downward to the block D. The other part of the chain (letteredYon the drawings) I00 passes from the guide-sheave H. directly to a sheave on the trolley, and thence turns downward to the block D, where it meets and unites with the part X. The two parts again come together after passing over the small sheaves T T within the cavity at the foot of the mast. Assuming that the pinion J is out of gear with the wheel L and the pinion K in gear 5 with it, as shown in Fig. 2, the operation of my improved crane mechanism for hoisting and lowering is as follows: The rotation of the shaft N in one direction by means of a crank in the usual manner causes the part of 1c the chain lettered Xto be hauled in, the effect of which is simply to raise the block D and its attached load. Turning the shaft N in the opposite direction would produce the opposite result of lowering the block and load, in both 1 cases the shaft 0 remaining stationary. In

like manner turning the shaft 0 in one direction will cause the load to ascend, and turning it in the opposite direction will cause the load to descend, the shaft N remaining stationary. By applying cranks to each of the shafts N aml 0 and simultaneously rotating said shafts in opposite directions both parts of the chain will be simultaneously taken in or paid out, thereby doubling the speed of hoisting or lowering. By applying a crank to the shaft M the pinion K and shaft 0 will be caused to rotate more rapidly than the crank in the proportion of the diameter of the wheel L to that of the pinion K, and a rapid hoist- 3O ing or lowering motion thus obtained. A similar result would be effected by disengaging pinion K and engaging pinion J and turning the crank on shaft M.

The operations for traversing a load horizontally are as follows By slipping both pinions J and K into engagement with the wheel L and applying a crank to the shaft 0 or the shaft N the rotation of the crank will cause the shafts O and N to rotate simultaneously 0' at equal speeds in the same direction, thus causing the two worm-wheels and the chainwheels attached to them to also rotate simultaneously at equal speeds. The two parts of the chain X and Y pass onto the chain-wheels R R on opposite working sides, so that the simultaneous motion of the latter just described causes one of the parts-say X-to be paid out, while the other part, Y, is taken up simultaneously and at an equal rate. As a result 0 the trolley E will be caused to move inward on thejib B, the block D and its lead remaining suspended at a uniform height. Reversing the motion of the crank, the part Y of the chain will be paid out and the part X hauled in 5 equally, the result being the motion of the trolley outward on the jib, the load again remainin g suspended at a uniform height. Two speeds of traverse of the trolley are obtained by applying the crankhandle either to the shaft M (for quick speed) or to either of the shafts N and 0, (for slow speed.)

It will thus be seen that by means of one set of mechanism at the foot of the mast, consisting simply of two worm -wheels with chain- 6 5 sheaves attached, two pinion shafts carrying the worms, and one intermediate shaft with the connecting spur-wheel L,.I accomplish hoisting and lowering of the load at three different speeds and the traverse of the trolley on the jib in either direction at two different speeds each way.

An incidental advantage of my mode of construction consists in the fact that the endless chain is found, when the crane is in use, to gradually pass its entire length through the operating mechanism, so that every link of the chain receives ultimately the same amount of wear, and the durability of the chain is thus greatly increased. In the ordinary modes of construction, in which pocketed chain-wheels are used, a small proportion of the length of chain usually passes backward and forward over the chain-wheels, and thus wears out more rapidly than the other portions of the chain which do not come into engagement with the chain-wheels. The einploymentof worm-wheels in place of spur-wheels causes the load to be self-sustained, so that lowering is only effected by the positive motion of the crank in the right direction, the load never running down of itself. is that one size or pattern of operating mechanism is available for a variety of sizes of cranes.

In the foregoing description I assume that the chain passes over only a single sheave in both the trolley and the runningblock. Obviously, however, instead of one sheave there might be two, three, or. four sheaves in the block and in the trolley, so that the load suspended from the block would be carried on four, six, or eight parts of chain, instead of by two parts, as in the drawings. In this way the same mechanism would be available for a load two, three, or four times heavier than could be carried by two parts of the chain, while the strain transmitted to the operating mechanism by the two single parts of chain which enter it could be no greater. Thus if the operating mechanism be adapted for a strain of one ton upon each of the two chains which enter it, the crane, if constructed with a single block, as in the drawings, would have the capacity of two tons. By providing two sheaves in the block and trolley the capacity would be increased to four tons, while the strain on the chains enteringtheopcratin g mechanism would be no greater than before-viz., one ton. This capacity ot'm y arrangement dispenses with the need of a variety of sizes and patterns, and diminishes the cost of manufacture. I obtain these several advantages by the peculiarities of my construction by which I am enabled to use chain-wheels with which the chain is in engagement for less than one full circumference in place of the ordinary barrels or drums on which the chain is wound in continuous coils. Where the latter construction is used the size of barrels must, of course, be varied accordin g to the length of chain required, and where the hoisting block or tackle is provided with four or six parts of chain a very large barrel is required to receive the chain. By my mode of construction, however, the length of chain A further incident of this mechanismrequired does not affect the size or construction of the operating mechanism in which a single chain-wheel on each side suffices for any length of chain, and yetat the same time I provide a variety of speeds and other conveniences which have heretofore been obtained only in cranes having large barrels or drums.

It is obvious that the chain-wheels could be placed directly upon the two shafts N and O, and the worms and worm-wheels P Q be dispensed with, the worms and worm-wheels being only important with reference to the hoisting and lowering in order to prevent the running down of theload, and to give conveniently the desired ratio of gearing. This invention, therefore, by which the trolley is traversed in both directions by the use of the same chain with which the hoisting and lowering is accomplished, is operative without the use of worms and worm-wheels, because other instrumentalities, such as ratchets and pawls, could be employed to prevent running down of the load. Hence I do not intend to limit my invention to the use of worms and worm wheels, but only use them by preference, it being entirely practicable, by using the shafts, gearing, chainwheels, and single endless chain I have described, to accomplish the traverse of the trolley in both directions, and hoisting and lowering as set forth, without their employment.

In Fig. at I show an improved mode of securing the sliding pinions J and K to their shafts by means of a key permanently fixed within the hub of the pinion, so that it cannot be removed or lost. A slotis cored transversely through the hub of the pinion, within which slides a thin plate of metal having in its center an aperture, one end of which is enlarged so as to slip freely over the shaft 0, the other end of said aperture being of narrower width, so that by slipping the plate cndwise this narrow portion of its central aperture engages with the slots in the shaft 0, thereby locking the pinion endwise into either otits two positions on the shaft 0. The sheet-metal plate is slightly curved or bent, so as to create sufficient frictional resistance to its motion to insure its remaining in whichever position it is placed.

I am aware that it is not new to employ a slotted metal plate sliding within a hub to engage with a slot in an axle for securing the hub to the axle, and I do not broadly claim such a device.

It is obvious from the ibregoing description that my improved crane mechanism can be equally well applied to what are known as traveling cranes, in which a trolley or truck is arranged to travel longitudinally upon a bridge,which latter in turn travels upon tracks running at a right angle to its length. In this case my improved mechanism herein described can be used to effect the hoisting and lowering of the load and the traverse of the trolley on the bridge in either direction, in the same manner in which the trolley is traveled upon the jib in the crane herein described.

My improved mechanism is also available for any other hoisting apparatus in which the four motions of hoisting, lowering, and traversing in two directions are required.

I am aware of the patent granted June 10, 1879, to Thomas A. Weston, for endless-chain l1oisting-machine,No.216,298, and do notmake claim to any of the devices therein shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a crane,'the combination of a trolley, an endless chain, two chain-wheels engaging with separate parts of the chain, and intermediate gearing, substantially as described, whereby one of said chain-wheels may be caused to pay out one part of the chain while the other takes in theother part at equal speeds, for the purpose of moving the trolley in either direction, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the shafts M N O and gears J K L, arranged and operating substantially as described,of the worms and wormwheels P Q, the chain-wheels R R, the chain X Y, and the trolley, whereby a load may be moved horizontally in opposite directions at two different speeds each way, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shafts M N O and gearsJ K L, arranged and operating substantially as described,of the worms and worm- Wheels P Q, the chain-wheels It It, the chain X Y, and the block D, whereby a load may be hoisted or lowered at three different speeds, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the shafts M NO and gears J K L, arranged and operating substantial] y as described, of the worms and wormwheels P Q, the chain-wheels R It, the chain. X Y, the trolley, and the block 1), whereby a load may be either hoisted and lowered atthree different speeds or moved horizontally in opposite directions at two different speeds each way, as set forth.

5. The combination, in one mechanism, of two chain-wheels, each driven by a separate worm-wheel and screw, with intermediate connecting gearing, whereby the rotation of a single driving-shaft eifects the rotation ofeither one of said chain-wheels independently of the other and in either direction, and also the simultaneous motion of both of said chain-wheels, the combination being substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination with a slotted shaft 'or axle and a wheel or pinion arranged to slide longitudinally thereon, a curved spring lockin g-plate permanently fixed transversely within the hub of the pinion, and provided with a central aperture, as and for the purpose described, whereby said pinion or wheel may be secured longitudinally in any desired position on said shaft.

FRANKLIN UNDERHILL, E. l). OGDEN, Jr. 

